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Data and Society 9-12 / Week 01 / Mission Quest
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Week 01 · What Is Data?

Mission Quest

Mission Quest: Decisions at home
// From raw facts to information the Commons can act on
⏱ about 20 min

Mission Quest: Decisions at Home

On Saturday the crew sits on the steps outside Starling Commons, sharing a bench in the sun.

Comet counts on her fingers. "At home we decide things all the time. Which shelf holds the games, when to water the plants, where the spare pencils go."

Wren nods. "What do you notice? We usually decide by guessing."

"Data could help with some of those," Comet says. "We could count how often each game comes off the shelf!"

Nova hovers between them. "Would you like a hint?" she asks. "Count objects and events. Leave people's private details out."

Wren grins at you. "Data analyst, try it with your family."

  1. Information is the facts and patterns pulled from data.
  2. Data give chances to spot trends, make connections and address problems.
  3. A variable is anything you try to measure.
  4. Direct observation means watching and recording, and a table shares what the data show.
  5. One effect can help some people and harm others, and data can be used in ways nobody planned.
◇ DECISIONS AT HOME
Sit with a family member who has a few minutes to help.
Together, list three decisions your household makes, such as where to keep the board games or when to water a plant.
For each decision, write one object or event you could count or measure to help decide.
Count and measure things only, such as how often a game comes off the shelf. Do not write down anyone's private details.
Circle the decision where data would help most, and explain why out loud.
Last, name one decision where data would not help much, and say why.
Example decisionWhat you could count or measure
Which shelf should hold the board games?How many times each game comes off the shelf in one week
When should the plant be watered?Whether the soil feels dry each morning for one week
Where should the spare pencils go?How many pencils are in each drawer on Monday and on Friday
For a grown-up
Ask: which of our decisions would really change if we had data?
Ask: what would we count, and how long would we count it for?
Keep the counts about objects and events. Nobody needs to write down personal details for this quest.
QUEST CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Which of these is something you could count to help decide where the games go?
You notice the plant's soil is dry most mornings. Is that data or information?
"How often a game comes off the shelf" is something you try to measure. What is it called?
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